Mischa Barton Talks About Her Breakdown

“The OC” star, Mischa Barton seemed to have it all, she was young rich and famous. But all of a sudden things took a turn for the worst. Barton tells People magazine that her intense party lifestyle became so overwhelming that in 2009, she was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center psychiatric ward for fear she would commit suicide. She had a “full-on breakdown”.

“It was terrifying,” said Barton. “Straight out of ‘Girl, Interrupted.’ Story of my life.” So what happened?

The former teen star told People magazine that she was under tremendous pressure. At 16 years old, she was unprepared for the fame that came with the mega-hit TV show “The OC”.

She talks about her jet-set lifestyle, the enablers, working too hard and partying too hard. She also talks about her friends Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie, both of whom have been victims of the fast paced Hollywood celebrity lifestyle.

Like so many young Hollywood stars, the lifestyle caught up with her. In Dec. 2007, she was arrested for D.U.I. and marijuana possession. She was fined and received 36 months probation.

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Barton says that her parents staged an intervention in 2009 while she was starring in “The Beautiful Life”. Barton insists she was never suicidal but instead, she was overworked and depressed. Her depression was only made worse by the negative media attention she received when she was admitted to the hospital.

The now 27 year old actress says that the media was relentless in its scrutiny. She said that her weight was always criticized. “Not everybody stays the same body type. It was always ‘She’s too skinny, she must be sick.’ Then it was, ‘she’s too big.’ I was never the right weight.” said Barton

Barton said that she since learned to stand up for herself, and after being out of the media spotlight for several years she’s back. Barton now has a new movie project and a TV pilot in progress.